Callao delays add pressure as Peru vote faces chaos in Lima
The keyword callao is part of a day already marked by delays, long lines, and frustration as Peruvians vote on Sunday, April 12, 2026, in one of the country’s most complex election days in recent memory. The main problem has been the late installation of polling stations in Lima, while the National Office of Electoral Processes, or ONPE, says the voting schedule will not be extended. The first polling table was installed at 4: 45 a. m. in Huanuhuanu, Arequipa, but in several districts of Lima, voters faced waiting times and disorganization.
Late setup and growing frustration
In Lima, the delays have been tied to the arrival of electoral material, leaving some polling places unable to open on time at 7: 00 a. m. The most visible impact has been on voters who arrived early and found long lines, confusion, and no clear solution at several centers. The problem has been reported in districts including Surco, San Borja, Miraflores, Villa el Salvador, and other parts of the city.
The callao keyword captures the broader atmosphere of strain around this electoral day, even as officials stress that the interruption is limited to a small share of voting sites. ONPE said the affected locations represent 0. 72% of the 10, 336 polling places nationwide. The agency also said it has activated a contingency plan to move missing materials to the sites that still need them.
ONPE points to the transport company
Cledy Gutiérrez, electoral training specialist at ONPE, said the delay came from a breach by the company responsible for transporting the materials, Servicios Generales Galaga. She said the agency had everything ready in its main warehouse, but the contractor failed to meet the terms of the agreement.
“There has been noncompliance by the company in charge of transporting the materials, ” Gutiérrez said, adding that the shortage involved vehicles needed to move a large volume of supplies. She also said the issue appeared mainly in Lima Sur and not across the country. In the same statement, ONPE said the process in the regions was moving without setbacks and that the remaining materials would still arrive.
No extension of voting hours
ONPE also ruled out extending the voting schedule beyond 5: 00 p. m. Gutiérrez made clear that the closing time would remain unchanged even in locations that received materials late. That decision is central for voters still waiting in line as the day advances.
In earlier elections, she noted, some tables opened late because members of mesa failed to show up, and the law allows installation until noon. This time, however, the problem has centered on transport and logistics, not just staffing.
What remains uncertain
The immediate question is how quickly the delayed materials can reach the affected polling places and how many voters will still be able to cast ballots before the 5: 00 p. m. cutoff. For now, ONPE says the election is moving forward nationwide, even as the pressure in Lima remains high and the callao keyword reflects the tension around a vote that is still unfolding under heavy logistical strain.
